so in a pinch, to travel lightweight, I can go with two lenses if I needed to. I like that.
Primes will alwas have a place for me. Still, my most used lenses are my 50 f/1.4 and my 35 f/1.4L. And I use my 85 f/1.8 all the time for portrait shoots. The CZ21 and the 15 fish, are specialty lenses, less used, but not less loved.
What's your poison? Primes or Zooms? Why?
Zooms when I travel by plane; that's because I need a light load to travel with. Even if I use a wheeled cart, I still have to pick up a camera bag too many times (car, shuttle, security, storing on airplane, etc.) when I fly, so it has to be commensurate to my physique (which is that of a wimp.) On some international flights carry-on weight is also restricted. So then, wimpy or not, I'm still limited.
But when I'm home I prefer primes. I would go shooting with appropriate primes (and 24-105L) in my bag(s), loaded on a baby stroller (making it easier to please the wimp factor.)
Olga
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Matthew SavilleRegistered Users, Retired ModPosts: 3,352Major grins
"Shooting with an 85mm f/1.8 is no fun because you always have to keep your DOF in check, and if you don't focus exactly on the subject's eyes the image is trash... I can't imagine shooting with an f/1.4 lens, good grief..."
or here:
"Getting these shots with a 150mm is an absolute breeze. With an 85mm however it would take a lot more effort..."
You don't *have* to shoot the 85 f/1.8 at f/1.8 . Just stop it down a bit
Mongrel
What I mean is, for me it's easier to just shoot from a few yards away and not worry about stopping down. I can control my background much better and not worry about one of them being out of focus, like I have to do with the 85mm. Because stopping down is still hard to figure out, on-the-fly. How far down? f/2.8? f/4? Or should he move closer, or should she move in this/that direction? It's only my personal experience, but I find that the longer focal length and f/2.8 never let me down and I don't have to think too hard about the technicality of the shot, leaving me free to be more artistic.
Ironically, I know very well that the 85mm can produce more artistic shots if used right:
...it does indeed shine for me when taking a picture of just one person. (If I can get the focus right through the tiny little D70 viewfinder!)
Hopefully it's just a matter of gaining experience and as time passes I'll be able to use the 85mm more fluidly even with couples. But for now, when under pressure to "produce" I at least know I can count on my 150mm to always take a perfect shot.
I'm not completely anti-zoom. I've taken my 24-50 on plenty of motorcycle road trips.
Matt, I know what you're talking about when you reach for the lens you comfortable knowing will work. I've been using the same 3 basic lens for years, 24-50 zoom for outdoor, 50/1.4 and 105/2.8 for portraits. When I want a great portrait I grab the 105, it's sharp and has great bokeh.
issue not so clear any more
10 years ago, it was a clear "quality-vs-convenience" argument. Now, as zooms have gotten better and better, I'm not so sure. My Tamron 24-135 zoom is so sharp I really have to look closely for a long time at high magnification to tell the difference in sharpness between this and my Canon primes. And my 70-200 is oustanding as well.
However, having said all that, I use my primes all the time - it's fun!
10 years ago, it was a clear "quality-vs-convenience" argument. Now, as zooms have gotten better and better, I'm not so sure. My Tamron 24-135 zoom is so sharp I really have to look closely for a long time at high magnification to tell the difference in sharpness between this and my Canon primes. And my 70-200 is oustanding as well.
However, having said all that, I use my primes all the time - it's fun!
Zooms are getting better sure but thats not what happens when you just leave one length on & make your eyes/legs work for composition...i recon it would go staight out the window if i had a zoom on.
A prime will make you shoot differently as you know.
Primes really do make you think a lot. I've been shooting with my 50 1.8 and I've gotten some much better photos than I have with my zooms because I think more. I've also tried keeping my 70-200 at one focal length and not zooming at all other than using my feet. It's actually pretty fun and you get some great ideas since you work with what you have available.
Comments
Zooms when I travel by plane; that's because I need a light load to travel with. Even if I use a wheeled cart, I still have to pick up a camera bag too many times (car, shuttle, security, storing on airplane, etc.) when I fly, so it has to be commensurate to my physique (which is that of a wimp.) On some international flights carry-on weight is also restricted. So then, wimpy or not, I'm still limited.
But when I'm home I prefer primes. I would go shooting with appropriate primes (and 24-105L) in my bag(s), loaded on a baby stroller (making it easier to please the wimp factor.)
Olga
What I mean is, for me it's easier to just shoot from a few yards away and not worry about stopping down. I can control my background much better and not worry about one of them being out of focus, like I have to do with the 85mm. Because stopping down is still hard to figure out, on-the-fly. How far down? f/2.8? f/4? Or should he move closer, or should she move in this/that direction? It's only my personal experience, but I find that the longer focal length and f/2.8 never let me down and I don't have to think too hard about the technicality of the shot, leaving me free to be more artistic.
Ironically, I know very well that the 85mm can produce more artistic shots if used right:
...it does indeed shine for me when taking a picture of just one person. (If I can get the focus right through the tiny little D70 viewfinder!)
Hopefully it's just a matter of gaining experience and as time passes I'll be able to use the 85mm more fluidly even with couples. But for now, when under pressure to "produce" I at least know I can count on my 150mm to always take a perfect shot.
-Matt-
My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
Matt, I know what you're talking about when you reach for the lens you comfortable knowing will work. I've been using the same 3 basic lens for years, 24-50 zoom for outdoor, 50/1.4 and 105/2.8 for portraits. When I want a great portrait I grab the 105, it's sharp and has great bokeh.
10 years ago, it was a clear "quality-vs-convenience" argument. Now, as zooms have gotten better and better, I'm not so sure. My Tamron 24-135 zoom is so sharp I really have to look closely for a long time at high magnification to tell the difference in sharpness between this and my Canon primes. And my 70-200 is oustanding as well.
However, having said all that, I use my primes all the time - it's fun!
http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html
Zooms are getting better sure but thats not what happens when you just leave one length on & make your eyes/legs work for composition...i recon it would go staight out the window if i had a zoom on.
A prime will make you shoot differently as you know.
http://redbull.smugmug.com
"Money can't buy happiness...But it can buy expensive posessions that make other people envious, and that feels just as good.":D
Canon 20D, Canon 50 1.8 II, Canon 70-200 f/4L, Canon 17-40 f/4 L, Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro, Canon 430ex.